Shop, Stream, Subscribe: Meghan Markle’s Rebrand Is Fully Monetized
⚖️ A note on fairness: It’s important to separate legitimate critiques of Meghan’s evolving brand strategy from the racially motivated scrutiny she’s long endured. This post focuses on her public business moves—not her character. As ever, context matters—and criticism should too.
From Royal Duties to Shoppable Links: Meghan’s Lifestyle Pivot Is Here
So, Meghan Markle has officially entered her Goop era. Between a curated ShopMy page, her rebranded lifestyle brand "As Ever," and her Netflix series called With Love, Meghan, she’s serving up a full lifestyle influencer rollout—complete with pastels, pantry staples, and personalized jams.
This post looks at her recent ventures not as a personal critique but as a case study in celebrity branding, lifestyle aesthetics, and post-royal strategy. Let's explore what she’s offering, how it fits (or doesn’t) with her prior public messaging, and what it says about where her brand might be headed.
ShopMy: Curated Cool or Commercial Disconnect?
Earlier this month, Meghan quietly launched a ShopMy profile. At first glance, it reads like any other influencer's storefront: minimalist bio, black-and-white headshot, and a line about sharing things she loves.
“A handpicked and curated collection of the things I love — I hope you enjoy them! Please note, some products may contain commissionable links.”
The language is polished—but it’s also doing double duty. Meghan is positioning herself as a lifestyle tastemaker, while also entering the affiliate marketing space. That’s new terrain for a former senior royal, and it brings up bigger questions about monetizing influence post-monarchy.
Her picks? A mix of brands she’s known to wear—Reformation, Everlane, La Ligne—alongside aspirational pieces like Saint Laurent sandals and $1,000 coats. The price range is wide, but the aesthetic is consistent: neutral, clean, and expensive.
This strategy isn’t unusual for celebrities—but it is unusual for someone who still holds a royal title. It’s a pivot that invites fair questions: Is this a natural evolution of personal style? Or a strategic play for soft revenue under the radar?
Takeaways:
Meghan is entering an influencer-adjacent commercial space, one that directly monetizes the aesthetic she cultivated as a public figure.
Compared to The Tig, where Meghan wrote directly about wine, wellness, and personal growth, ShopMy feels detached—more like a monetized Pinterest board than a reflection of who she is or how she lives.
Affiliate marketing isn’t inherently problematic—but it does blur the line between personal brand and public trust, especially when it’s tied to a royal title.
The minimal disclosure (“some products may contain commissionable links”) feels too vague for a figure associated with transparency and social impact.
As Ever: The Brand, The Aesthetic, The Blur
You may remember the short-lived “American Riviera Orchard,” Meghan’s original lifestyle brand that made headlines in spring 2024. It quietly vanished after running into trademark issues. Now it’s back—rebranded as As Ever, a lifestyle brand with a rustic, slow-living feel.
Meghan’s voiceover in the brand teaser says this:
“As Ever means, ‘As it’s always been’—a love letter to the simple joys of food, family, gardening, and hosting.”
The products? So far, it’s mostly about the idea of lifestyle—raspberry jam, tea, maybe ceramics and homewares to come. The full product line isn’t available yet, and the website is still light on details. Vanity Fair and The Times have both noted the brand’s lack of clarity.
This feels more like a mood board than a business plan—which is fine if that’s the goal. But without a clear mission or product offering, it’s hard to know what makes As Ever distinct in an already crowded lifestyle space.
Takeaways:
The brand’s visual identity is strong, but its actual identity—what it sells, who it’s for, why it exists—is still vague.
Meghan has cycled through multiple personal brands over the years (The Tig, ARO, now As Ever). Frequent rebranding makes it difficult to build consumer trust and brand loyalty.
Without accessibility or storytelling beyond aesthetics, As Ever risks becoming a beautiful—but hollow—extension of her public image.
Netflix’s “With Love, Meghan”: Domesticity, Reframed
With Love, Meghan is now live on Netflix, after being postponed earlier this year due to the LA wildfires. The show is framed as a cozy, visual diary focused on “the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship.” It’s shot like a soft-focus dreamscape and aligns perfectly with the As Ever palette.
But the content itself? It’s uneven and surprisingly light. The production feels more like branded content than documentary. The pacing is slow. The narrative arc is loose. There’s little that reveals something new—or vulnerable—about Meghan herself.
Gone are the days of Archetypes and high-profile interviews. This is safe, sponsor-friendly, feel-good content. And while there’s nothing wrong with that on its own, it’s a sharp departure from her former voice as a change agent. But for longtime followers of Meghan’s public persona—an advocate for equity, gender justice, and media literacy—this pivot may feel like a step away from substance toward brand-safe storytelling.
Takeaways:
With Love, Meghan lacks clarity in both production quality and purpose. It feels like an aesthetic extension of As Ever, not a standalone creative project.
Meghan’s transition from advocate to lifestyle curator may be strategic—but it also risks sanding off the edges that once made her compelling to a wide audience.
What made The Tig stand out in a sea of lifestyle blogs was Meghan’s tone: confident but accessible, aspirational but honest. With Love, Meghan gestures at intimacy but lacks the storytelling muscle that once defined her voice.
The domesticity isn’t the issue; the lack of depth is. Viewers weren’t asking for a return to The Tig, but many hoped for something with more narrative intention.
The Strategy Behind the Softness
Let’s take a step back. This entire rollout—ShopMy, As Ever, With Love, Meghan—is part of a coordinated brand pivot. Meghan is moving away from royal controversy and toward a polished, marketable identity rooted in comfort, style, and domesticity.
None of this is accidental. Meghan is rebuilding her image around elegance and intentional living. And there’s value in that. But there’s also a risk: in softening her story for broad appeal, she may be losing the very elements—voice, vision, vulnerability—that once set her apart.
Takeaways:
This strategy doesn’t lack cohesion—it lacks boldness. Meghan is playing it safe, which may work commercially but doesn’t leave a strong cultural footprint.
For someone who once represented transparency and personal strength in the face of public pressure, this rebrand feels sanitized to the point of dilution.
There’s still time to add dimension to this story—but right now, the style is outpacing the substance.
Final Thoughts: What Are We Actually Buying?
There’s no denying Meghan is smart, media-savvy, and capable of powerful storytelling. But right now, her brand feels like it’s trading vulnerability for visual perfection. From her curated lemon trees to $700 sandals, we’re being offered a version of Meghan that’s beautiful—but also a little hard to connect with.
It’s fair to question how authentic this new image feels—and whether the substance still matches the style.
What Do You Think?
Curious to hear your take, especially if you followed Meghan back in her Tig days. Is this the same voice in a new outfit, or something entirely different?